Beautiful
by Medie
Summary: Declan and Miranda, alone together, cabin, fire...bathtub. Did I mention he's feeling frisky and determined?


Title: "Beautiful"  
  
Author: Marianne aka Medie  
  
Keywords: M/D relationship. Definite romance.  
  
Spoilers: Series in general per Miranda's relationship  
with her parents.  
  
Disclaimers: Well, since Santa didn't answer my wish,  
I don't own these guys...  
  
Author's: Thanks Julie for the title and to both you  
and Debbie for telling me abut the show. (And Debbie  
for sending me the tapes that got me addicted *G*)  
  
Oh, and this was meant to be a comfort fic but Declan  
got a bit frisky. Those pesky Anthropologists, can't  
turn your back on 'em for a second.  
  
"Beautiful"  
by Medie  
----------  
  
  
The room was silent save for the crackle of the fire  
and the occasional relaxed sigh from Mole who was  
flaked out before it. The room's other occupants were  
cuddled together on the floor, relaxing against the  
couch, watching the flames dance, leap, and throw  
sparks onto the hearth.  
  
A deep, pleasured sigh escaped the dark-haired man but  
his slender companion didn't move or look back. All  
she did to acknowledge it was tighten her grip on his  
hands.   
  
"Happy?" she prompted, a loving warmth underlying the  
ordinarily formal tones of her voice.  
  
"Extremely," he affirmed, kissing the back of her  
head. "It's great here, isn't it? Quiet, peaceful . .  
. "  
  
"Private," Miranda interjected, amused.  
  
His hands left hers, wandering to places that sent  
delicious shivers down her spine. "Yeah, private . . .  
very private."  
  
"You're insatiable, Declan," she accused  
affectionately, snuggling back against his bare chest.  
  
"Can you blame me?" he teased, lips ghosting along the  
shell of her ear. "You're beautiful."  
  
A rosy hue tinged her ivory complexion and she shifted  
to fit her head beneath his chin, her slim arms  
wrapping loosely around his torso. The movement  
causing the quilt covering their lower bodies to  
twist. Both ignored it in favor of each other,  
Declan's hands skimming up and down her bare back  
while she cuddled even closer.  
  
"You are, y'know," he insisted quietly.  
  
"I'm what?"  
  
"Beautiful." When she didn't respond, he rolled them  
over, pinning her beneath him. "You *are* beautiful.  
You, Miranda Figelstein, are the most beautiful,  
intense, *incredibly* sexy woman I've ever met. A  
woman who - I might add - I am completely, head over  
heels, madly passionately in love with." His mouth  
descended onto hers. "Passionately . . . " he repeated  
against her lips, his body settling onto hers enough  
that she couldn't slip free from the kiss. Not that  
she was trying to.  
  
When they came up for air, Declan grinned lopsidedly.  
"So *now* do you believe me?"  
  
She looked at him blankly. "We were talking?" Slipping  
a hand into his hair, she drew him down to her once  
more.  
  
----  
  
It was some time later before he brought up the  
subject again. In fact, he chose to wait until he had  
her in the one place she was guaranteed to be  
completely relaxed and therefore . . . talkative.   
  
Well, more than usual.  
  
They were in the bathtub, soaking in the luxuriously  
warm water, surrounded by bubbles, the room lit by  
softly scented candles.  
  
"Miranda . . . " Sliding the large sponge along one of  
her arms, he broached the subject *very* carefully.  
  
"Yes?" Leaning back against his shoulder, she closed  
her eyes in relaxation.  
  
"Why is it that every time I try and tell you you're  
beautiful, you shut me out?"  
  
His words were tentative but they had an effect  
nonetheless. Her eyes flew open and she stared in  
shock at the wall. "I...I don't shut you out," she  
protested weakly.  
  
"Yeah you do," Declan insisted, the sponge migrating  
across her mid-section. "You never want to hear it.  
Always find some way to change the subject or distract  
me." His fingers found her rib cage, tickling. "So,  
c'mon, out with it. Why?"  
  
Miranda fidgeted, taking the sponge from him and  
tugging at it. "I don't know . . . " she confessed  
quietly, feeling his hands move to slide up and down  
her arms reassuringly. "I...My . . . "  
  
"Parents?" he encouraged gently.  
  
She nodded quickly. "Never said things like that . . .  
" She inhaled quickly. "I'm just . . . no good at . .  
. " Miranda shook her head. "I've never . . . "  
  
"Been able to accept compliments?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Declan's heart pained for her and he held her close,  
bubbles around them moving and popping with the  
movements. "You'll learn," he promised quietly.  
"Because by the time we're old and grey, you'll be  
tired of hearing it." A kiss went to her temple.  
"You're beautiful, Miranda . . . and that's all there  
is to it."  
  
finis 


End file.
